Children’s ministry, but only for some

The Government is stigmatising a whole cohort of young New Zealanders while leaving others behind with its creation of a Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Labour’s Children’s spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says.

“Confirmation of the move by Hekia Parata, an acting Minister, was clearly unplanned. This is, after all, part of the Government’s flagship reforms of CYF.

“Labour has been pushing for a Children’s Ministry for some time, but one that improves the wellbeing of every child.

“That means focusing not just on child protection, but issues such as poverty and family hardship.

“This latest move continues to narrow the parameters further for those who need support, and risks letting children fall through the gap.

“It also risks creating stigma for those it works with, by labelling them all vulnerable.

“Surely the reason for replacing CYF was that things needed to be done differently. This already suggests the overhaul is not be as bold as it could be,” Jacinda Ardern says.